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SQL Top, Limit, Fetch First or ROWNUM Clause

The document discusses different SQL clauses like TOP, LIMIT, and FETCH FIRST that are used to limit the number of rows returned from a table. It provides the syntax for these clauses in SQL Server, MySQL, and Oracle and includes examples of selecting the top n rows and top percentage of rows from a table.

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jeffa123
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133 views

SQL Top, Limit, Fetch First or ROWNUM Clause

The document discusses different SQL clauses like TOP, LIMIT, and FETCH FIRST that are used to limit the number of rows returned from a table. It provides the syntax for these clauses in SQL Server, MySQL, and Oracle and includes examples of selecting the top n rows and top percentage of rows from a table.

Uploaded by

jeffa123
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SQL 

TOP, LIMIT, FETCH FIRST or


ROWNUM Clause
❮ PreviousNext ❯

The SQL SELECT TOP Clause


The SELECT TOP clause is used to specify the number of records to return.

The SELECT TOP clause is useful on large tables with thousands of records.


Returning a large number of records can impact performance.

Note: Not all database systems support the SELECT TOP clause. MySQL supports


the LIMIT clause to select a limited number of records, while Oracle uses FETCH
FIRST n ROWS ONLY and ROWNUM.

SQL Server / MS Access Syntax:

SELECT TOP number|percent column_name(s)
FROM table_name
WHERE condition;

MySQL Syntax:

SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table_name
WHERE condition
LIMIT number;

Oracle 12 Syntax:

SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table_name
ORDER BY column_name(s)
FETCH FIRST number ROWS ONLY;

Older Oracle Syntax:


SELECT column_name(s)
FROM table_name
WHERE ROWNUM <= number;

Older Oracle Syntax (with ORDER BY):

SELECT *
FROM (SELECT column_name(s) FROM table_name ORDER BY column_name(s))
WHERE ROWNUM <= number;

Demo Database
Below is a selection from the "Customers" table in the Northwind sample
database:

CustomerID CustomerName ContactName Address City P


e

1 Alfreds Futterkiste Maria Anders Obere Str. 57 Berlin 1

2 Ana Trujillo Emparedados y Ana Trujillo Avda. de la Constitución México 0


helados 2222 D.F.

3 Antonio Moreno Taquería Antonio Moreno Mataderos 2312 México 0


D.F.

4 Around the Horn Thomas Hardy 120 Hanover Sq. London W

5 Berglunds snabbköp Christina Berguvsvägen 8 Luleå S


Berglund

SQL TOP, LIMIT and FETCH FIRST Examples


The following SQL statement selects the first three records from the
"Customers" table (for SQL Server/MS Access):

Example
SELECT TOP 3 * FROM Customers;
Try it Yourself »

The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for MySQL:

Example
SELECT * FROM Customers
LIMIT 3;
Try it Yourself »

The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for Oracle:

Example
SELECT * FROM Customers
FETCH FIRST 3 ROWS ONLY;

SQL TOP PERCENT Example


The following SQL statement selects the first 50% of the records from the
"Customers" table (for SQL Server/MS Access):
Example
SELECT TOP 50 PERCENT * FROM Customers;
Try it Yourself »

The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for Oracle:

Example
SELECT * FROM Customers
FETCH FIRST 50 PERCENT ROWS ONLY;

ADD a WHERE CLAUSE


The following SQL statement selects the first three records from the
"Customers" table, where the country is "Germany" (for SQL Server/MS
Access):

Example
SELECT TOP 3 * FROM Customers
WHERE Country='Germany';
Try it Yourself »

The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for MySQL:

Example
SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE Country='Germany'
LIMIT 3;
Try it Yourself »

The following SQL statement shows the equivalent example for Oracle:

Example
SELECT * FROM Customers
WHERE Country='Germany'
FETCH FIRST 3 ROWS ONLY;
❮ PreviousNext ❯

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